Head restraint arrangement for a vehicle seat and vehicle seat fitted with said head restraint arrangement, particularly spare seat

ABSTRACT

A headrest arrangement for a vehicle seat consisting of a back and a bottom seating part. Said arrangement comprises a headrest part that is connected to the back of the seat, with the connection configured in such a way that the headrest part can be moved between an in-use position arranged above the back of the seat and corresponding to its headrest function and a non-use position wherein the headrest part can be releasably locked in both positions. The headrest part in non-use position and relative to the in-use position is lowered in the direction of the seating part and is arranged horizontally in the area of the front part of the back of the seat. The invention also relates to a vehicle seat fitted with said headrest arrangement.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit to International Application No.PCT/EP02/06828 filed on Jun. 20, 2002, and published in the Englishlanguage under PCT Article 21(2); German application no. DE20110342.7,filed Jun. 22, 2001, all of which are incorporated herein by thesereferences.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a head restraint arrangement for avehicle seat comprising a backrest and a lower seat surface part, havinga head-supporting part which is connected or can be connected to thebackrest via retaining means.

The invention furthermore also relates to a vehicle seat fitted with ahead restraint arrangement of this type, having a lower seat surfacepart and a backrest which can be folded over.

It is known to provide vehicle seats with head restraints which areintended to protect the seat user against accident-included injuries inthe region of the cervical vertebrae, i.e. against “whiplash”. It hasalso been known from a long time to guide the head restraint on or inthe backrest in a manner such that it can be adjusted in height viarestraining means and such that it can be locked in different positionsin order to adapt it to users of differing size.

In many cases, it is intended that vehicle seats can be changed betweendifferent positions to utilize the vehicle in a variable manner. In thiscase, because of the head restraint which is arranged protruding in theupper region, folding the backrest over in particular frequently causesproblems in respect of possible collisions with other vehicle parts.Sometimes, the head restraint even has to be entirely removed before thebackrest is folded over.

SUMMARY

The present invention is based on the object of providing a headrestraint arrangement of the above-mentioned type and a seat fitted withsaid head restraint arrangement, with which a particularly easy changein the arrangement of the seat and its parts is possible.

According to the invention, this is achieved first of all in accordancewith the claims by the fact that the retaining means are designed insuch a manner that the head-supporting part can be transferred betweenan operative position, which is arranged in accordance with itshead-supporting function above the backrest, and an inoperative positionand is locked releasably in both positions, the head-supporting part, inthe inoperative position, firstly being lowered relative to theoperative position, in the direction of the seat surface part and,secondly, being arranged lying in the region of a backrest front side infront of the backrest.

A vehicle seat fitted with a novel head restraint arrangement of thistype is distinguished in accordance with the claims by the fact that,starting from an operative position, which is suitable for sitting, theseat surface part can be folded over through approximately 180° about atransverse axis, which is arranged in its front region away from thebackrest, in such a manner that it lies with its lower side, whichpoints upward, in a plane with an adjacent loading floor of the vehicle,it being possible, in the inoperative position of the head-supportingpart, for the backrest to be folded over through approximately 90° abouta lower transverse axis in the direction of the seat surface part, andit then lying with its rear surface likewise approximately in the planeof the loading floor. In this case, it is expedient, firstly, for thebackrest together with the head-supporting part situated locked in theinoperative position, to be accommodated, in the folded-over position ofthe backrest, and, secondly, for the lower seat surface part with itsseat cushion in the inverted position to be accommodated in each case ina trough-like receptacle of the vehicle.

The invention makes a transfer between the operative and inoperativeposition very simple and comfortable; a complete removal of parts, suchas, in particular, the head restraint, can be rendered superfluous, sothat there is also no risk of any part being lost; on the contrary, allof the components are always available to the user in the vehicle foruse in a variable manner. During the transfer of the backrest into thefolded-over position of the backrest, the locking according to theinvention of the head restraint part in its inoperative position, whichis situated in front of the backrest, is of particularly advantageousimportance because it reliably avoids uncontrolled oscillating movementsand resultant problems when introducing or placing the head restraintpart into the associated receiving trough of the vehicle without thehead restraint part here having to be secured or guided awkwardly byhand.

Further advantageous design features and advantages of the inventionachieved thereby are contained in the subclaims, which are dependent onclaims and 33, and in the following description.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained more precisely with reference to apreferred exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic, partially cutaway side view of a vehicle seatwith a head restraint arrangement according to the invention, withdifferent positions of the components being illustrated simultaneously,

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view just of the head-supporting part, in aview corresponding to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the head-supporting part in the arrowdirection III according to FIG. 2 (likewise illustrated partially cutaway and transparently),

FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view in the plane IV—IV according toFIG. 3 in different positions of the head-supporting part during thetransfer between its two positions,

FIG. 5 shows a section in the plane V—V according to FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 shows a view analogous to FIG. 3 just of an inner supportinghousing of the head-supporting part together with the upper region of aretaining-rod element,

FIG. 7 shows a section in the central plane VII—VII according to FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 shows a section in the plane VIII—VIII according to FIG. 6,

FIG. 9 shows a section in the plane IX—IX according to FIG. 6,

FIG. 10 shows a further section in the plane X—X according to FIG. 6,and

FIG. 11 shows a perspective exploded illustration of the functionalityessential parts of the head restraint arrangement according to theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In the various figures of the drawing, identical parts and componentsare always provided with the same reference numbers, and so they aregenerally also only described once in each case.

FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle seat 2 which comprises a backrest 4 and alower seat surface part 6 and has a head restraint arrangement 8according to the invention. A head-supporting part 12 is connected orcan be connected to the backrest 4 via retaining means 10.

As can furthermore be gathered from FIG. 1, the retaining means 10 aredesigned in such a manner that the head-supporting part 12 can betransferred between an operative position A, which is arranged inaccordance with its head-supporting function above the backrest 4, andan inoperative position B and is locked releasably in both positions A,B. In the inoperative position B, the head-supporting part 12 is,firstly, lowered relative to the operative position A in the directionof the lower seat surface part 6 and, secondly, is arranged lying in theregion of a backrest front side 14 in front of the backrest 4. In thismanner, the invention eliminates the projecting length, which isnecessary in the operative position A, of the head-supporting part 12protruding upward above the backrest 4 by, in the inoperative positionB, no parts of the head-supporting part 12 protruding any more over thebackrest 4.

It is expedient for the invention if the retaining means 10 have aretaining-rod element 16 having two retaining rods 20, 22 which areparallel to each other and are guided in a longitudinally displaceablemanner in guides 18 of the backrest 4 (which can only be seen in FIG.1). In addition, the retaining rods 20, 22, which can be displaced inthe guides 18, can be locked in at least two, preferably, for thepurpose of adjusting the height, in a plurality of, different positions.The retaining rods 20, 22 are connected to each other, in particular inone piece via a transverse web 24, in their end region which is situatedoutside the backrest 4 and the guides 18. The retaining rods 20, 22 aredesigned here such that they are curved “in the manner of a walkingstick” in their upper end region in the transition to the transverse web24 in such a manner that the transverse web 24 is arranged offset withrespect to a guide plane 26, which is defined by the two parallelretaining rods 20, 22 (see, in this respect, FIGS. 2 and 4, forexample), in the direction of the backrest front side 14.

The head-supporting part 12 is guided via a bearing arrangement 28 onthe transverse web 24 of the retaining-rod element 16 in a manner suchthat it can be pivoted about an axis of rotation 30, which is defined bythe transverse web 24 or is identical with the longitudinal central axisof the transverse web 24, and in a manner such that it can be locked in(at least) two different positions. In the preferred exemplaryembodiment, the head-supporting part 12 can be pivoted throughapproximately 180° and can be locked alternatively in two positions,specifically either in a supporting position C extending upwardapproximately as an elongation of the retaining rods 20, 22 (see FIGS. 2and 4) or in a rest position D which, starting from the transverse web24, extends in an inverted manner downward approximately parallel to theretaining rods 20, 22 (see FIG. 4 in this respect where the process ofpivoting it over between the positions C and D is illustrated withreference to numerous intermediate positions). Furthermore, it isexpedient, for the transfer of the head-supporting part 12 from theoperative position A into its inoperative position B (FIG. 1) if it isarranged with a central plane 34, which runs approximately parallel to afront head-supporting surface 32 (see FIG. 4), asymmetrically withrespect to the axis of rotation 30 in such a manner that the pivotingbetween the supporting position C and the rest position D causes it tobe offset in each case with respect to the axis of rotation 30. In thesupporting position C, the central plane 34 is situated, according toFIG. 4, behind the axis of rotation 30 and, in the rest position D, thecentral plane 34 is situated in front of the axis of rotation 30. As aresult, the head-supporting part 12 is positioned, as it is beinglowered by pushing the retaining rods 20, 22 into the guides of thebackrest 4, in front of the backrest front side 14 of the backrest 4(inoperative position B according to FIG. 1).

The bearing arrangement 38 has a bearing part 36 which sits in arotationally fixed manner, i.e. secured against rotation, on thetransverse web 24 of the retaining-rod element 16 and on which an innersupporting housing 38 of the head-supporting part 12 is guidedrotatably. As emerges from FIG. 11, the bearing part 36 is expedientlycomposed of two halves 36 a and 36 b which are connected to each otherenclosing the transverse web 24. This can take place on one side by aform-fitting engagement of a retaining web 40 of the one bearing-parthalf 36 a in a corresponding retaining opening 42 in the otherbearing-part half 36 b, the two halves being connected on the otherside, for example, by means of a rivet 44 or similar connecting element(in addition to FIG. 11 also see FIG. 8). For the bearing part 36 to sitin a rotationally secure manner on the transverse web 24, form-fittingmeans are provided, in particular, for example, according to FIG. 11, atleast one projecting lug 46 of the transverse web 24, which engages in acorresponding holder within the bearing part 36 (also see FIG. 8). Thesupporting housing 38 sits with inner bearing sections 47 a rotatably ontwo lateral bearing sections 47 b of the bearing part 36 (FIG. 11). Inthis case, the supporting housing 38 comprises two housing parts 38 aand 38 b which are connected, for example screwed and/or latched, toeach other enclosing the bearing part 36.

A locking device 48 which interacts with the bearing part 36 and isintended for the supporting position and the rest position is providedwithin the supporting housing 38. This locking device has a bolt slide50 which is guided displaceably in the supporting housing 38 and uses atleast one bolt element 52 to engage, either in the supporting position Cor in the rest position D, in a respectively corresponding bolt opening54 in the bearing part 36 (see in particular FIG. 10 in this respect).As emerges, for example, from FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, the bolt slide 50 isguided in a slide holder 56 formed within the supporting housing 38. thebolt slide 50 preferably has two laterally offset bolt elements 52. Twobolt openings 54 are accordingly also provided in each case for the twopositions C and D. The bolt slide 50 is acted upon here with a springforce F1 in the direction of its locking position. According to FIGS. 5,7, 8 and 11, a helical compression spring 58, for example, is arrangedfor this purpose between the bolt slide 50 and the slide holder 56 ofthe supporting housing 38.

The bolt slide 50 interacts with an actuating element 60 which isaccessible from the outside for, preferably, manual actuation bypushing, in particular an actuating element in the manner of apush-button. This actuating element 50 is preferably arranged in aregion of the head-supporting part 12 which, in the supporting positionC, points downward in the direction of the backrest 4 and, in the restposition D, points upward in the opposite direction. This makespractical, very comfortable actuation possible. By means of theactuating element 60, the bolt slide 50 can be displaced in thedirection of a displacement axis or displacement plane 62 which, in thesupporting position C, is arranged lying approximately parallel to theguide plane 26, in the region situated between the guide plane 26 of theretaining rods 20, 22 and the axis of rotation 30. Reference is made inthis respect to FIG. 2, in particular.

It is furthermore advantageous if the head-supporting part 12 is actedupon with a rotational spring force F2 in such a manner that—in eachcase after the lock is released—the pivoting in the one direction ofrotation takes place counter to the rotational spring force F2 by meansof an external actuating force (in particular manually) which exceedsthe latter and takes place in the other direction of rotationessentially automatically by means of the rotational spring force F2. Inthe preferred exemplary embodiment, the rotational spring force F2 isdirected in such a manner that, starting from the rest position D, thesupporting position C is automatically reached by the spring force F2after the lock is released. However, an inverted variant is alsoincluded within the scope of the invention. As emerges from FIGS. 9 and11, in order to produce the rotational spring force F2, a torsion spring64 is provided which is designed, for example, as a coiled leg springand is arranged supported coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation30 between the head-supporting part 12 or the interior of the supportinghousing 38, on the one hand, and the retaining-rod element 16 or thebearing part 36, on the other hand.

As furthermore emerges from FIG. 1, the head restraint arrangement 8according to the invention is preferably designed for a vehicle seat 2of this type which can likewise be transferred between an operativeposition, which is suitable for sitting, and an inoperative position.For transfer into the inoperative position, the seat surface part 6 canbe folded over through approximately 180° in the arrow direction 68about a transverse axis 66, which is arranged in its front region awayfrom the backrest 4, in such a manner that it lies with its lower side70, which then points upward, approximately in a plane 72 with anadjacent loading floor of the vehicle. In addition, in the lockedinoperative position B of the head-supporting part 12, the backrest 4can be folded over through approximately 90° in the arrow direction 76about a lower transverse axis 74 in the direction of the seat surfacepart 6, so that it then lies with its rear surface 78 likewiseapproximately in the plane 72 of the loading floor. This configurationenables the vehicle seat 2 to be used, in particular, as an additionalseat, spare seat or child's seat, specifically, in particular, in anarrangement in the rear region of the vehicle, in which it is orientedrearward with respect to the actual direction of travel. The backrest 4,with the head-supporting part 12 situated locked in the inoperativeposition B is accommodated, in the folded-over position of the backrest,in a trough-like receptacle of the vehicle. the same also applies forthe seat surface part 6, which, in its folded-over position with itsupholstery downward, is situated in a floor trough. Both seat parts 4, 6then use their rear or lower sides 70, 78 to supplement the loading areaof the vehicle.

Owing to the limited structural space in the rear region of the vehicle,the backrest 4 of a spare seat of this type may be designed to be onlyrelatively low or short. In the case of the dummy which is illustratedin FIG. 1 of a female of the “5^(th) percentile”, the backrest 4 reacheswith its upper edge only approximately as far as the lower edges of theshoulder blades. The head restraint arrangement 8 according to theinvention is therefore required in order to provide the occupant, in hersitting position which is turned rearward, with sufficient grip in thehead and neck region during braking maneuvers.

The invention is not confined to the exemplary embodiments illustratedand described, but also encompasses all variants of equivalent effectwithin the meaning of the invention. Furthermore, the invention is alsonot yet confined to the combination of features defined in the claimsbut can also be defined by any other desired combination of particularfeatures of all disclosed individual features.

1. A head restraint arrangement (8) for a vehicle seat (2) having abackrest (4) and a lower seat surface part (6), the head restraintarrangement comprising: a head-supporting part (12) coupled to thebackrest (4) via a retainer (10), configured to provide thehead-supporting part (12) an operative position (A) above the backrest(4), and an inoperative position (B) with the retainer locked releasablyin both positions, wherein the head-supporting part (12), in theinoperative position (B), firstly being lowered relative to theoperative position (A) in the direction of the seat surface part (6)and, secondly, positioned in a region of a backrest front side (14) infront of the backrest (4), wherein the retainer (10) comprises aretaining-rod element (16) having two retaining rods (20, 22) which areparallel to each other and are guided in a longitudinally displaceablemanner in guides (18) of the backrest (4) and configured to be locked inat least two different positions, the retaining rods (20, 22) beingconnected, in one piece via a transverse web (24), in their end regionwhich is situated outside the guides (18), wherein the head-supportingpart (12) is guided via a bearing arrangement (28) on the transverse web(24) of the retaining-rod element (16) and configured to be pivotedabout an axis of rotation (30) defined by the transverse web (24) andlocked in at least two different positions; and wherein the retainingrods (20, 22) are curved in their end region in such a manner that thetransverse web (24) is arranged offset with respect to a guide plane(26), which is defined by the two parallel retaining rods (20, 22), inthe direction of the backrest front side (14).
 2. The head restraintarrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head-supporting part (12)can be pivoted through approximately 180° and can be lockedalternatively in two positions, specifically in a supporting position(C) extending approximately as an elongation of the retaining rods (20,22) or in a rest position (D) which, starting from the transverse web(24), extends in an inverted manner approximately parallel to theretaining rods (20, 22).
 3. The head restraint arrangement as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the head-supporting part (12) is arranged with acentral plane (34), which runs approximately parallel to ahead-supporting surface (32), asymmetrically with respect to the axis ofrotation (30) in such a manner that the pivoting between the supportingposition (C) and the rest position (D) causes it to be offset in eachcase with respect to the axis of rotation (30).
 4. The head restraintarrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the head-supporting part (12)is acted upon with a rotational spring force (F2) in such a manner thatthe pivoting in the one direction of rotation takes place counter to therotational spring force (F2) and takes place in the other direction ofrotation automatically by means of the rotational spring force (F2). 5.The head restraint arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein therotational spring force (F2) is configured in such a manner that,starting from the rest position (D), the supporting position (C) isautomatically reached after the head-supporting part (12) is unlocked.6. The head restraint arrangement as claimed in claim 4 wherein in orderto produce the rotational spring force (F2), a torsion spring (64) isprovided which is configured as a coiled leg spring and is arrangedsupported between the head-supporting part (12) and one of theretaining-rod element (16) and the bearing part (36).
 7. The headrestraint arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bearingarrangement (28) has a bearing part (36) which sits in a rotationallyfixed manner on the transverse web (24) of the retaining-rod element(16) and on which a supporting housing (38) of the head-supporting part(12) is guided rotatably, a locking device (48) which interacts with thebearing part (36) and configured for the supporting and rest positionsbeing provided in the supporting housing (38).
 8. The head restraintarrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locking device (48) has abolt slide (50) which is guided displaceably in the supporting housing(38) and uses at least one bolt element (52) to engage, either in thesupporting position (C) or in the rest position (D), in a respectivelycorresponding bolt opening (54) in the bearing part (36).
 9. The headrestraint arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bolt slide (50)is acted upon by a biasing member (58) with a spring force (F1).
 10. Thehead restraint arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the bolt slide(50) interacts with an actuating element (60) which is accessible fromoutside the head-supporting part (12) for manual actuation by pushing anactuating element in the manner of a push-button, the actuating element(60) positioned in a region of the head-supporting part (12) which, inthe supporting position (C), points downward in the direction of thebackrest (4) and, in the rest position (D), points upward in theopposite direction.
 11. The head restraint arrangement as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the bolt slide (50) can be displaced in the directionof a displacement plane (62) which, in the supporting position (C), isarranged lying approximately parallel to the guide plane (26), in aregion situated between the guide plane (26) of the retaining rods (20,22) and the axis of rotation (30).
 12. A vehicle seat (2) comprising alower seat surface part (6); a backrest (4); and a head restraintarrangement (8) comprising: a head-supporting part (12) coupled to thebackrest (4) via a retainer (10), configured to provide thehead-supporting part (12) an operative position (A) above the backrest(4), and an inoperative position (B) with the retainer locked releasablyin both positions, wherein the head-supporting part (12), in theinoperative position (B), firstly being lowered relative to theoperative position (A) in the direction of the seat surface part (6)and, secondly, positioned in a region of a backrest front side (14) infront of the backrest (4), and wherein the vehicle seat (2) can betransferred between an operative position, which is suitable forsitting, and an inoperative position, and it being possible for the seatsurface part (6) to be folded over through approximately 180° about atransverse axis (66), which is arranged in its front region away fromthe backrest (4), in such a manner that it lies with its lower side(70), which then points upward, approximately in a plane (72) with anadjacent loading floor of the vehicle, and it being possible, in thelocked inoperative position (B) of the head-supporting part (12), forthe backrest (4) to be folded over through approximately 90° about alower transverse axis (74) in the direction of the seat surface part(6), and it then lying with its rear surface (78) likewise approximatelyin the plane (72) of the loading floor.
 13. The vehicle seat as claimedin claim 12, wherein the backrest (4) with the head-supporting part (12)situated locked in the inoperative position (B) is accommodated, in thefolded-over position of the backrest, in a receptacle of the vehicle.14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein in the inoperativeposition, the upwardly pointing surfaces (70, 78) of the seat surfacepart (6) and backrest (4) merge flush in the plane 72 of the loadingfloor, with a small gap, between each other and in an adjacent surfaceregion of the loading floor.
 15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12configured for use as a spare seat in the rear region of the vehicle, inwhich the seat is oriented rearward with respect to the actual directionof vehicle travel.